View full sizeA bystander snapped this picture of two men carrying assault rifles through downtown Gresham on Wednesday. Police later identified the pair as Steven M. Boyce (right) and Warren R. Drouin. No charges were filed.Meghan Browne

Drouin could not be reached for comment, but Boyce gave a brief interview outside his home.

Boyce said the pair intended to “educate the public and open their eyes to something they could come up to us and talk about.”

“Was I looking threatening? No,” Boyce said. “I was walking and talking with a friend. I wasn't running, not causing anybody harm. I was acting lawfully.”

Having police respond was part of the point. Boyce said the men wanted to “open a line of communication” with police, “so they don’t over-react to someone with a gun.”

Boyce said his Medford friend, Drouin, has been carrying weapons openly for three years, filming his encounters with police and uploading the footage onto YouTube. Boyce has joined him off and on during that period.

Boyce said he usually carries a handgun, but the pair decided to bring assault rifles “just because we can.”

Boyce said he hopes their actions cause people to educate themselves on their constitutional rights and that they learn to assess situations before reacting.

"A gun is an inanimate object and it's a different case with each person," he said. “It doesn’t always have to be a crazy person with a gun.”